8 Weird Ways Climate Change Is Ruining Everything

At first glance, the impacts of climate change in the United States might seem less dramatic than melting icebergs in the Arctic. But scientists are starting to figure out how greenhouse-gas emissions are beginning to threaten some of the things Americans love the most—including holiday traditions like ham and wine. "Global warming has certainly been observed very robustly, and we understand the processes by which humans are causing it quite well," explains Noah Diffenbaugh, a Woods Institute for the Environment fellow and assistant professor of earth science at Stanford University. "But there's also a lot of uncertainty in what will happen in the future…what will people do in response to climate change?"

Part of Diffenbaugh's research includes studying how climate change affects pest patterns. Corn—one of the main commodity crops used to feed pigs bound for the supermarket—is threatened by not only climate-related drought and flooding, but also by the corn earworm, and damage from the pest is projected to worsen in the coming decades, thanks to warmer winters. In fact, we're already seeing the scenario unfold: Bacon prices surged over the summer, thanks to climate-related troubles in cornfields. (Brace yourself, bacon lovers: it gets worse.)

3 of 9

2. Jeans

Almost everyone owns a pair of blue jeans. But water shortages and drought are having an impact on cotton production, causing price fluctuations and even a shortage in denim. According to a recent New York Times report, a pair of jeans uses 919 gallons of water during its life cycle, enough to fill 15 spa-size bathtubs. "That includes the water that goes into irrigating the cotton crop, stitching the jeans together and washing them scores of times at home," reports the Times.

Worried that water shortages could threaten the very existence of the jeans industry, Levi Strauss developed a nonprofit to teach farmers how to harvest rainwater for irrigation, introduced a brand that uses zero water during the stone-washing process, and is urging people to wash their jeans less.

For more earth-friendly jeans, choose organic brands—organic farming methods protect the soil, and healthy soil holds more water reserves to help in times of drought. Better yet, shop for used jeans.

4 of 9

3. Cookies

Some must-have ingredients for cookies and other baked goods are already feeling the climate change pinch. Peanut butter prices are spiking after the southern US saw one of the worst harvests in decades, thanks to out-of-the-ordinary extreme heat over the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the peanut harvest is down nearly 15% compared to last year. Likewise, extreme temperatures in Texas have hampered pecan production, while a recent study published in the journal Science found that yields of wheat are down about 5% since the 1980s.

5 of 9

4. California wine

Some of the country's best wine comes from the high-quality grapes grown in California, but warming projections for the area could cut wine production in half within 30 years, according to Diffenbaugh's research, as well as another study published in the Proceedings of the National Academics of Sciences. "The temperatures won't be suitable," he says, adding that farmers will have to adapt to try and overcome excessive heat conditions. In fact, prime wine production could wind up in Oregon, New Jersey, or even mountainous regions of China in the coming years.

6 of 9

5. Oysters

Thinking about a romantic seafood dinner for two? Often touted as an aphrodisiac food, oysters may not be on the menu for much longer. According to a recent Grist article, the acidification of the ocean is threatening the Pacific Northwest's famed oyster industry. Since the Industrial Revolution, ocean acidity has increased 30%, and projections are saying it could be 150% more acidic by the end of the century. (Going with another kind of fish? Be sure to stay away from these 12 types.)

7 of 9

6. Chocolate

Brace yourselves, chocolate lovers: The anticipated one-degree rise in world temperature by 2030 will devastate Western Africa's small cocoa farms, according to Colombian researchers. If the world temperature increases two degrees by 2050, it will be virtually impossible to grow cocoa plants at the elevations where current farms are located. If there's ever a reason to switch to energy-efficient lightbulbs and drive less, this is it!

8 of 9

7. Coffee

Coffee is an early-morning staple. But it's also threatened by all of the emissions we're creating. Coffee-selling giant Starbucks is doing its part to use less energy and water, including its announcement that all new retail stores will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Cutting emissions and protecting resources will help protect the coffee plantations the company depends on, those threatened by the uncharacteristic extreme heat, drought, and increase pest populations brought on by climate change.

Nope, not even air travel is safe from our wavering weather. Running atmospheric computer models, British researchers found a connection between climate change and turbulence, and they predict that the average strength of turbulence will increase by 10 to 40% by 2050. The amount of airspace containing significant turbulence will most likely double, too. "The main takeaway message for flyers is to expect less-comfortable flights in the coming decades, with the seatbelt sign switched on perhaps twice as often," explains study coauthor and atmospheric scientist Paul Williams, PhD, a Royal Society research fellow at the University of Reading.

Bumpier rides could translate into more bumps and bruises. The Federal Aviation Administration lists airplane turbulence as the number one cause of in-flight injuries. Between injuries and airplane damage, turbulence currently costs the airlines of the world tens of millions of dollars. "Aviation is partly responsible for changing the climate, but our findings show for the first time how climate change could affect aviation," Williams and his team notes.

No matter what's causing turbulence on your flights, you can protect yourself from injury by choosing a window or middle seat to keep out of the path of debris falling from the overhead compartment. Falling stowed items account for 10,000 aviation injuries a year, according to the Flight Safety Foundation.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Prevention participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.